Lindsborg residents evacuated due to street flooding

Tuesday

Jul 30, 2013 at 7:55 AM

Tamara Garner stepped off her steps into her flooded yard Monday night with only her two dogs and a bag of clothes.

By Cristina JanneyManaging Editor

Tamara Garner stepped off her steps into her flooded yard Monday night with only her two dogs and a bag of clothes.Garner, 22, didn't know when she be able to return or what may happen to her house,At about 8 p.m. Monday, the rain had stopped, but only after storms had dumped more than 5 inches of rain on the already saturated Lindsborg area.Garner lives at 912 N. Main St. in Lindsborg, the heart of where most of the street flooding had occurred."I felt overwhelmed," Garner said. "When I got home from work, I couldn't even get down my street. I was worried about my animals."The water in front Garner's home had reached her steps, and officials urged her to evacuate for her safety.Her basement was completely flooded."You would need scuba gear to get down there," she said.Some residents in Garner's neighborhood had to be evacuated by boat. Others chose to remain in their homes. Officials were urging those with flooded basements to not enter the flood waters because of risk of electrocution.No injuries were reported as of Monday night.A Red Cross shelter was set up at Smoky Valley High School, and the Covenant Church in Lindsborg also was opened to aid flood victims.Along some streets cars and trucks were submerged in the flood waters.Water was inside some homes, and some basement walls had collapsed, Lindsborg Police Chief Tim Berggren said.Residents said flood waters peaked about 3:30 p.m. Monday.However, Berggren said he was unsure how long residents would have to wait before the water might recede and residents could return home.Neighbors were helping Amy Kennedy and other residents along West Garfield fill sandbags Monday night. Water had not entered the Kennedy home as of Monday evening, but the family was sandbagging in hopes of preventing water from entering their basement.Kennedys' home is at the corner of Sunset and West Garfield in Lindsborg and backs up to a slough that was overrunning the sidewalk and the road.The Kennedys have lived at their home for 15 years, and Amy said she has never seen flooding this severe.Water was not threatening Bill Gusenius' home, but he and his wife, Carol, were helping the Kennedys, as well as other families in north Lindsborg fill sandbags."We are just trying to help a couple people out," Bill said.Berggren said the community has pulled together in this time of crisis."Lindsborg is no different than any other small community," he said. "We are tight."